Paulo Machado

Toulouse and Olympiacos On 2 July 2009, Toulouse FC signed Machado to a four-year deal. In August 2012, after three seasons in which he averaged 30 appearances and four goals, he joined Olympiacos F.C. in Greece for €2,700,000 on a three-year contract. He scored his first goal for his new team on 3 November, also providing an assist to Kostas Mitroglou in a 2–0 home victory over OFI Crete FC.

Dinamo Zagreb Machado joined GNK Dinamo Zagreb on 4 June 2014, on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. He won a league and cup double in his first season, equalising in a 2–1 home defeat of HNK Rijeka in the semi-finals on 8 April, followed by the winning attempt in the penalty shootout at the end of the goalless final against RNK Split on 20 May.

On 28 July 2015, during a UEFA Champions League play-off round against Molde FK at Stadion Maksimir, club fans booed Machado as he walked off the pitch while being replaced after a poor performance. In return, he made several obscene gestures for which he received a straight red card, being subsequently suspended until further notice. Sharing teams with compatriots Eduardo and Gonçalo Santos, he won a second consecutive double, starting in the 2–1 cup final win over NK Slaven Belupo on 10 May.

Later years On 2 September 2017, free agent Machado signed with recently promoted C.D. Aves until the end of the season. On 31 August 2018, he joined Indian Super League franchise Mumbai City FC; after suffering an injury in the second half of the match against Jamshedpur FC on 19 December 2019, he was ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

Machado returned to Leixões following 12 years away in September 2020. In his one season back at the Estádio do Mar, he played just under half the fixtures and scored an added-time winner as a late substitute against Académico de Viseu F.C. on 28 February.

In June 2021, Machado retired from playing. He went immediately into being assistant manager at his final club's under-23 team.

International career Machado was part of the Portugal under-21 team at the 2007 UEFA European Championship. Previously, he won the Under-17 European Championship in 2003.

On 30 September 2010, Machado was called up for the first time to the senior side by newly appointed coach Paulo Bento. He did not make his debut in either of the two UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers that were scheduled, but later spoke of his smooth integration into the squad and his ambition to eventually earn a regular place in the national team. He made his debut on 17 November, coming on for Nani in the dying minutes of a 4–0 friendly victory against Spain, in Lisbon.

Career statistics Club

International

Honours Olympiacos Super League Greece: 2012–13, 2013–14 Greek Football Cup: 2012–13

Dinamo Zagreb Croatian Football League: 2014–15, 2015–16 Croatian Football Cup: 2014–15, 2015–16

Aves Taça de Portugal: 2017–18

Portugal UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2003